(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for cleaning the pads of floor buffing machines.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
The only prior art structure usable with a floor buffing machine for the indicated purpose comprises the buffing machine pad cleaning device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,287 of July 26, 1977. The device disclosed in that patent performed satisfactorily under most conditions and particularly when the direction of rotation of the buffing pad being cleaned conformed with the curved configuration of the radially arranged bars 17 on which the buffing machine cleaning pad was positioned. Counter rotation of the buffing machine pad did not sufficiently flex the fibers of the buffing machine pad at all times to remove all of the wax and dirt accumulation. Additionally, the areas of the flat top platform 10 between the plurality of openings 15 therein that were immediately adjacent the bars 17 built up objectionable accumulations of wax and dirt, some of which was transferred back to the buffing machine pad with the result that the device of the patent did not always effectively clean the buffing machine pad as was intended.
The references cited in my Patent 4,027,287 and comprising the U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,898,887, 2,764,776, 2,997,620 and 3,158,889 are the closest other art known.
This invention provides an improved buffing machine pad cleaning device wherein the buffering machine and the pad thereof is positioned directly on a circular wire grille formed of a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending wire rods, the grille being almost completely spaced above the wax and dirt receiving portions of the machine so that the action of the buffing machine pad being rotated on the grille will free the pad of dirt and wax which can then fall freely to the collection area therebeneath with no intervening structure.